Broken Wings
by katsmor
Summary: Love is like a strong wind. It is powerful, all consuming and has the ability to tear your world apart. But it isn't enough. Love isn't a rock you can build your life on. You need trust, you need respect, you need more. And that was what she didn't have.


So here is another sad one. I like sad stories, it helps. Review if you want. I don't own anything. Song is called Broken Wings by Martina McBride.

_She loved him like he was  
The last man on Earth  
Gave him everything she ever had  
He'd break her spirit down  
Then come lovin' up on her  
Give a little then take it back_

She'd tell him about her dreams  
He'd just shoot 'em down  
Lord he loved to make her cry  
You're crazy for believin'  
You'll ever leave the ground  
He said Only angels know how to fly

And with a broken wing  
She still sings  
She keeps an eye on the sky  
With a broken wing  
She carries her dreams  
Man you ought to see her fly

She had made the wrong choice.

They always tell you to follow your heart, to go with love, that it would be enough.

Whoever they were, they never had to try to build something on love alone.

Love, love is like a strong wind. It is powerful and all consuming and has the ability to tear your world apart. But it isn't enough. Love isn't a rock you can build your life on. You need trust, you need respect, you need… more. You can't live your life for the wind, for it comes and goes as it pleases.

She tried. She was always the good wife. She listened when he needed. She loved him when he wanted her too. She played the good housewife. She didn't complain when he laughed at her dreams. She didn't cry in front of him. She even acted like she was happy.

She didn't let him see how much it hurt her when he made fun of her dream of being the youngest minister of magic.

She didn't let him see how much it hurt her that he could laugh at her dreams, at how much she missed her parent's way of life since they've been gone.

He never knew how much she wished she could be so much more. He never even asked her what she wanted to do with her life, if she wanted children, if she wanted to be a housewife. He just told her.

He never noticed.

He didn't notice when she lost their first or second child.

He didn't notice when she started using the contraception potion again after her second miscarriage.

He didn't notice how she no longer shined wherever she went.

But the most important thing he missed was he didn't notice when she stopped looking at him and started looking at the sky.

She used to wish he would notice all of those things, but now…now as she stood on the edge, knowing that things were about to change, she was glad. For now, while he wasn't noticing, she was taking flight.

* * *

Harry knew something was wrong. He couldn't say what, but things were just not right. She smiled, she laughed, she loved, just like always. But it wasn't right.

He asked Ginny, she said she saw nothing wrong. That he was imagining things.

He asked Mrs. Weasley. She said the same thing. That of course there was nothing wrong, she was happy as always. Why wouldn't she be happy? She was married. She didn't have to work. Yea, maybe she hadn't had babies yet, but they were working on that! What could possibly make her unhappy?

He knew though. He knew that this wasn't what she wanted. He had thought it strange when she turned down the job at the ministry. He thought it even stranger when she quit her job at the bookstore because, according to his other best friend, they were ready to start a family. But he never asked her.

He always assumed she'd tell if something was wrong.

He never noticed that maybe she needed someone to tell her that they could see something was wrong.

That maybe she needed someone to tell her they could see her.

Maybe if he had, she would have looked somewhere other the sky for what she needed.

* * *

He was happy.

He had the perfect life. A great wife. She loved him, and he loved her. She made him dinner. She cleaned his house. She trusted him to take care of her. They were even starting a family, or trying to.

Then Harry had come to see him and asked him if he'd noticed something about her lately. If she seemed off? He told him of course not, she was happy, like always. He blew it off as Harry just being the worrier that he always was. She was his wife! He would know if she was unhappy.

He didn't think twice.

He didn't stop to look back at his life, to see if maybe Harry was right.

Maybe if he had, she would have started looking to him again.

* * *

_And with a broken wing  
She still sings  
She keeps an eye on the sky  
With a broken wing  
She carries her dreams  
Man you ought to see her fly _

She stood on the edge of something new in a place she would always remember. Here where she discovered magic and all it could do...here was where she would finally take that step. She was tired of being blown around in the wind. She wanted that rock. She wanted something she knew she could stand on. So she finally took that step. She kept her eyes on the sky, and she let herself fall.

* * *

She was supposed to meet the family for dinner. The whole family. But she was late. Mrs. Weasley asked him if he knew where she was. He just kept saying she would be here. Maybe she was running late.

But she never came.

Harry finally convinced him to check, to run home just to see if she was ok. But he never made it.

He finally noticed.

He noticed Dumbledore stepping out of the fireplace.

He noticed Snape following stiffly behind him.

He noticed the empty eyes of the headmaster.

It was then that he knew.

She wasn't coming.

He finally noticed she was gone, but he still didn't realize that she had left a long time ago.

* * *

Ron didn't believe them at first.

He yelled, he screamed, he made a scene.

Harry guessed maybe he had the right to at one point, but now, now he felt like he shouldn't have.

No one had listened to him. They had ignored the signs.

But that wasn't as bad as seeing the signs, and still ignoring them. That's what Harry did.

He knew something was wrong and said nothing.

It hurt to realize that it's possible to miss something that big. And nothing his mother-in-law or wife said could change it. He always did know her better than anyone else. So why didn't he stop it?

It was bearable for awhile, at least until they found her journals. They copied her final entry, and let him read it. That's when he lost his hold. It's when he realized the only true family he had was gone.

* * *

He didn't understand.

Ron couldn't grasp the idea.

The house was the same.

The bed was made just like it always was.

The kitchen was clean.

But she was gone.

She wasn't coming back.

Why? He didn't understand.

At least not until he found it. Her journal.

She never did want him to read it. But he had to know.

So he flipped to the last entry. And then he finally understood.

* * *

_December, well I actually don't even know the date. Isn't that sad? _

_So I guess I should date it, the end._

_My family,_

_I guess you couldn't resist reading it finally Ron, huh? It's ok, I can understand why you needed to. I don't blame you. _

_I guess you want some explanation. I wish I could give you one. But there isn't much to say. I just need to leave. I need to find myself. _

_I can't be a mom. I wanted to so bad Ron. I wanted you to be happy, and I wanted a family with you. But apparently the curses during the war took too much of a toll on my body. I didn't tell you because they said there was still a small chance. But both times I lost them. I heard a heart beat on the second baby. I was going to tell you the next day. But I lost him too. I am not sure it was a he, but I always pictured a little boy with curly red hair._

_I can't be a housewife either. I just feel caged. Like I can't escape. And this is my last chance. I need to be free._

_Please tell you mom and your sister that I love them! I wish your dad was still here, I feel like I could have talked to him. And please let your brothers help you out. You will need them._

_I do love you Ron. It is just… not enough. It never should have been._

_…_

_Harry?_

_I am hoping you get to read this too. I heard you asking Molly if she thought something was off, and Ginny told me about it. Thank you. It is nice to know you can see me. Don't worry, I understand why you didn't do anything. I wish I didn't have to leave you alone, but I am done. I am done being the one that takes on the burden of everyone's problems while I carry mine alone. Be happy Harry. Ginny loves you. As your sister, for that is what I am in all but blood, I am telling you that you need to open your eyes. Stop waiting. Life doesn't wait for you to decide its ok to take a risk again. I hope you understand what I mean._

_Well, I don't really know what else to say. Just know that I am going to reach for my dreams. I will fly free._

_I miss so many people. My family, so many friends, Mr. Weasley. Both my babies. Oh Harry, I wish with all my heart that I could have them back. I know you didn't know about them. No one did. But I did. I miss them so much, and they weren't even here. I feel like maybe they will be where I am going. So I can be a Mom there. I love you Harry._

_Forever,_

_Hermione_


End file.
